Googling God
As a little kid, I can remember having lots of questions about God, heaven, and life. I asked questions like, “Who created God?” and “Where did God come from?” I asked, “What was there before God created the heavens and the earth?” As I was driving home from work yesterday, I was reminded of my child-like curiousity. For some reason I questioned to myself, “What language will we speak in heaven?” and “How will we understand each other? Will we have decoders built in to our heavenly bodies?” I know these questions sound somewhat humorous, but it’s the jumping off point for many other questions that race around my head.
Last year at this time, I found my self asking God more questions as I stood by my wife as she battled the challenges of bipolar disorder. At one point, I asked “Why?” “Why would God allow us to go through this?” “Why is there bipolar disorder?” “Why doesn’t anyone talk about mental illness and the challenges that come to families as a result of these illnesses?” These questions still race around my head.
I think we all have questions for God that range across a wide spectrum from humorous to curiosity to doubt. Last night, I asked my men’s group what questions they have for God, and it was amusing and interesting to hear their responses.
How was God always there?
Where was God born?
Will I be able to fly in heaven?
If God is all knowing and all powerful, why would He need or desire our love?
Why do I ask why questions?
Will Jesus out trash-talk me?
Will I get full at the banquet table?
Are there bathrooms in heaven?
Do we eat in heaven?
Will all our questions be answered in heaven?
What it there to do in heaven?
Will I really be singing all day?
Do I have free will in heaven?
These were just a few of the questions that were brought up as we sat around the table. I think it can be healthy to ask questions. But there’s also a trust factor. I know that God is in control. I know that He knows what is best. I know that I’m not God. But I still have questions from time to time.
How about you? What questions do you have for God?
Weeding Reminder
Last night, I did some weeding in the yard and in the garden while my son cut the grass. It’s amazing how the weeds can spring up so quickly and so large when you don’t stay on top of them. As I was weeding, I was reminded of my blog post from last year. My weed problem this year is not as bad as last year, but I think my thoughts still apply.
Lessons From My Front Lawn – September 6, 2010
The past three or four years, I’ve paid a company to treat our lawn to prevent the weeds, to prevent fleas and ticks, and to help it stay green and healthy. There’s no question that it paid off. Up until the spring, my grass was coming in great and green.
That all changed this summer when we decided not to use the company to treat our lawn and we were faced with one of the hotter and drier summers that we’ve had in a while. As the summer wore on, our front lawn went from a plush green carpet to a spotty brown and green, weed infested disaster thanks to the lack of treatment and the stresses of the summer heat. Honestly, I want to throw up every time I pull up our driveway. It just makes me sick to see what our lawn has become in just one summer.
Now, I realize that a green front lawn isn’t the answer to true happiness and contentment, but I think it speaks to something that is true for our own lives. Just like water and fertilizer help to keep our lawns healthy, keeping our spiritual lawn green and healthy requires water, nutrition, and weed prevention. We need to study God’s word (the Bible), and we need to spend time with God. We also need to live life in community – the kind of community that can be found by attending and getting involved at a local church along with the kind of community that can be found by getting involved in a small group. These spiritual treatments are essential to keeping our spiritual lives healthy.
Getting back to my lawn, we finally called the lawn company that we used before, and they explained that our grass can be restored. The weeds can be eradicated, and the effects of summer stress can be overcome. It will take some time and special attention, but there is hope for my front lawn.
So, this brings me to my question. How is your spiritual front lawn? Is it healthy or does it need some work? If your spiritual lawn is brown and weed infested, there is hope for restoration and renewal.
The Gift of Camping
This past weekend, we celebrated the 1oth anniversary of a great family camping tradition. We’ve been camping with the same four families since the beginning. It’s been amazing to watch our kids grow up together. Isaac was two and potty training on our first rainy camping trip to Locust Lake State Park. Now, Isaac’s eleven, and he’s becoming a wonderful young man. The story is similar for all the other kids as well. It’s truly been a gift to experience the richness of these friendships year after year. I look forward to many, many more family camping trips to come.
Nine out of the ten years, we have camped in a Pennsylvania State Park. Pennsylvania is the only state that has an established chaplaincy program in its state parks. Most years, we have worshiped together at the camp’s Sunday worship service. This year was no different as we walked down to the outdoor amphitheater following a delicious camp breakfast. I love my church, but there is something refreshing about getting outdoors and stripping away the music and lights and air conditioning.
At the service, Chaplain Jason shared from the passage in Romans. Jason’s message provided some great reminders:
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:1-8
1. I have gifts. I should be sharing these gifts.
2. My gifts are different from other people’s gifts. We all have different gifts.
3. Everyone’s gifts are important to completing the work of the body.
4. I’m not gifted in everything. Saying no sometimes is okay.
I’m sure there were some other great points, but these are the ones that struck me.
What fun family traditions do you have?
How are you using the gifts that God has given you?
Leading Through Conflict
Conflict and confrontation are not my strong suit. I much prefer when things go well and people get along even when mistakes and obstacles must be overcome. Unfortunately, this is not the way it works. People have different opinions. People make mistakes. People have different personalities. And they don’t always get along. Conflict seems to be inevitable.
As a leader and manager, I am faced with conflict on a regular basis. I don’t have a choice to ignore it in hopes that the problems will just go away. I often have to confront conflict to help bring about resolution and to hopefully be an agent for positive change.
The Bible gives some pointers for handling conflict between believers in Matthew 18:15-20 which may give some insight for handling conflict in the secular workplace. Here are the pointers from Jesus:
1. Try to resolve the conflict just between the two parties in conflict (v. 15). Don’t bring anyone else into the conflict if it can be resolved first.
2. Bring the conflict to one or two other believers (v. 16). If the conflict cannot be resolved face-to-face in step 1, the Bible mandates trying to bring the conflict to a resolution through the help of a couple of believers.
3. Take the conflict before the church (v. 17). If all else fails, the Bible tells us to bring the conflict before the church. If the conflict cannot be resolved then the person may be removed from the church.
In the secular business world, I’m not always dealing with fellow believers. In reality, the construction industry can be full of some rather colorful and rough personalities. Having said this, I believe these standards from scripture can be helpful for handling conflict in the workplace. As leaders in the business world, here are some ideas for handling conflict:
1. Encourage face-to-face conversations between the conflicting parties. Often times, people are misunderstood. A meeting of this type should provide an opportunity for both parties to get their frustrations on the table. With reasonable individuals and situations, conflict can often be resolved here.
2. Sometimes it’s necessary to get a mediator involved. Here’s where I would suggest getting involved along with another manager. If the two parties in conflict are let by different individuals, it would make sense to get the other manager involved. The managers should facilitate a discussion in an effort to bring resolution. This may take a couple of meetings, but it shouldn’t drag out.
3. If all else fails HR (Human Resources) and higher level leadership may need to get involved to drive a resolution. The may mean a change in assignment(s) for one or both parties. Or it may represent a more drastic transition towards other employment opportunities inside or outside the company.
4. In all cases, rumors should be avoided. As leaders, managers should squash any rumors. Rumors only lead to further conflict.
Handling conflict can be a real challenge, but leaders must deal with it head on. I wish I could say I always get it right. I’m certainly challenged and stretched by this topic.
What tips would you add for leaders to follow in handling workplace conflict?
Coming Back From Vacation
Getting back into the swing of things following nine days of vacation can be a real challenge. I especially felt this Monday and Tuesday as I was playing catch up on e-mails, phone calls, and required meetings. I feel like I have a lot to learn about how to transition from vacations and other breaks back into the routines of work and family activities. There’s got to be a way to keep the refreshment alive. There should be some ways to prevent post vacation burnout.
Some ideas come to mind:
1. Schedule margins in your schedule to breath and to relax even if it’s just for 15 minutes. This is challenging for me – especially at work where I am on call all the time for help in making decisions or for scheduling resources. I have tried to make it a habit to step out of the office for a few minutes at lunch time. This gives me a chance to get some fresh air, to touch base with my wife on her day, and to catch my breath before heading into the afternoon.
2. Keep thoughts of vacation alive by talking about your vacation and sharing pictures. I love to hear about the vacation adventures of my co-workers, and I like to share my stories as well. I love what I do at my job most of the time, and I really appreciate when our personal interests and adventures intersect with work.
3. Discard or put aside e-mails and other correspondence that are not important, are not urgent, and can be put off until later or not read at all. I know this can be challenging as it requires a discerning filter, but it’s important. In today’s information driven world, we have to relearn that it’s okay to miss out on some things. We don’t need to know every piece of information out there. What did we do before computers and the internet?
4. Compose a “to-do-list” and use it to prioritize tasks that must be attended to with greater urgency. A “to-do-list” can be helpful in documenting the things in our head. It can minimize the feeling of stress that comes from not knowing where to start.
5. Be intentional about continuing activities that provide refreshment and renewal. Leanne and I have taken a few evening strolls through our small town since returning from vacation. It may seem simple, but these walks have provided relaxation along with time together.
I wish I could say that we have it all figures out and that these five steps are easy to follow and an easy answer to overcoming post vacation burnout. But I can’t say these things. Life after vacation can be crazy – but I’m so glad we got away.
What tips do you have for transitioning from vacation back to everyday life?
Psalm 36 – Love and Faithfulness
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This morning I woke up with these words on my mind from Psalm 36:
5 Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Our vacation to Canada gave us some great visual reminders of God’s love and faithfulness.
How have you experienced God’s unfailing love and faithfulness this summer?
Vacation Church – My Sunday Quebec Experience
As you may have known or guessed, our family was on vacation last week. We took off for a week to enjoy the great outdoors and the French Canadian culture in Quebec, Canada. We spent most of our time in and around the small ski town of Mont-Tremblant. It was gorgeous and a wonderful break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life here in the Stolpe home. The Sunday we were there, we visited the only church in town, L’Eglise Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Church). The church is a small Roman Catholic church that overlooks Lac Mercier. Here are some of my thoughts from our visit:
It was very interesting to be in a French-speaking church and to be in a catholic church. In some regards, it makes me appreciate my own church all that much more.
On the other hand, it was encouraging to see the devotion of those who regularly worship in this setting. A few other observations:
1. Besides the passing of the peace, we were not greeted by a single person. Nobody said, “Bon jour.” Nobody said, “Hello.” Nobody said anything. If you belong to a church, you should be friendly. Stop and say hello to those you don’t recognize.
2. We need to speak the language of those around us who don’t have a church home. Putting aside the French language and the differences in doctrine, would I or anyone else understand what was going on as part of this service? Do we expect people to come into our churches and fall in line with the routines and traditions we keep? Do we provide an explanation of our traditions, etc.? Are we relevant to the community around us?
3. The priest reminded me of (my wife’s) Uncle Dave’s brother, Tom. I know this is trivial, but it’s just what I noticed.
4. The French language is beautiful. I have no idea what everyone was saying or singing, but it sounded nice.
5. People think that church ends after communion. I shouldn’t judge as I don’t know what these people had to do this day, but I observed many people slipping out of the church as soon as communion was over. They didn’t stay around for the closing words. They didn’t stay around for fellowship. They left as quickly as they arrived. Our involvement with church isn’t meant to be a task that must be checked off the list. It’s meant to be our life. We’re called to be in Christian community that transcends the Sunday service. We’re called to be involved throughout the week, and we’re called to bring it into our communities. This doesn’t happen in a 40 minute Sunday service. This happens every minute of every day.
6. I’m not real great at the kneeling thing. Perhaps, I need to practice this more. Getting on my knees before God is a discipline of trusting God and of putting Him first.
I realize these thoughts are somewhat random, but I thought you’d enjoy hearing how I was stretched on vacation.
Where do you go to church when you’re on vacation? What have you learned from your vacation church experiences?
Finding Community On-Line
I’m a big connection and community guy. I love to see people connected in meaningful relationships. I’m passionate about being in community with others. Over the years, I have been amazed to see where community can be found. I have found it at work in the office and on construction sites. I have found community through sports – on the basketball court and on the run. I have even found community around the poker table. I appreciate the community I’ve experienced through my kids – scouts, music, and school. I have enjoyed many years of community through camping. And I’ve experienced community through small groups of various kinds and sizes.
I’ve been most surprised by the community I’ve discovered on-line. For me, it all started a few years ago when Frank Chiapperino and a few other leaders from my church started blogging and then encouraged me to blog. Initially, I discovered a lot of amazing bloggers out there who had things to share about things that interested me like small groups and leadership. I followed at a distance and carried on with my own blogging without any ideas of potential connection or community.
A couple of years later, Frank introduced me to Facebook. I was immediately sucked into the whole social media thing. I’m not sure if that was a complete blessing or a partial curse. I’m thankful for so many renewed connections and several new ones that have come as a result of Facebook. It’s been eye-opening, enlightening, and sometimes enriching to keep up with friends on Facebook. It’s also been a bit addicting, and I admittedly struggle at times with staying balanced.
Somewhere along the line, I picked up Twitter and a few other tools. Twitter has definitely been an interesting tool for discovering new information about people and topics that interest me. I’ve especially enjoyed the “listed” option on Twitter where users can assemble lists of Twitter users with similar interests. I have discovered many small group gurus, leadership junkies, and several blogging buddies.
Next, I picked up Skype and Tokbox which allow for free live web video chatting. I’ve enjoyed using Skype with my family – especially my parents who live in far away Dallas, TX. A year or two ago, I decided to try an experiment with Tokbox. Tokbox was easier to use for multiple participants than Skype was at the time, so I decided to lead an on-line small group using Mark Batterson‘s recently released book – Primal. I was impressed by the depth of conversation that took place as this experiment launched. And I see a lot of potential for fostering community through this type of technology.
Most recently, I have discovered incredible community through interactive blogging. By actively participating in the dialogue that transpires in the comments that follow a post (on my own blog or on other people’s blogs), blogging becomes interactive. My life is enriched by these comments – by this community. I have discovered many new friends like Michael Shaw who blogs about the local town of Skippack, Jason Fountain who blogs about being intentional with life, and Beck Gambill who blogs about the ups and downs of life.
If you’re reading, you’re probably part of this community. I would encourage you to take the next step – either start your own blog or become active in the comment conversations that take place on your favorite blogs. (If you start you’re own blog, let me know so I can follow along.)
On a final note, while I strongly encourage finding community on-line, there’s nothing like face-to-face community. Find a group of people you can plug into your life. Lift each other up. Hold each other accountable. Meet regularly. Grow together!
How have you experienced community on-line and face-to-face?
Return to Blogging – My Wife is Back On-Line
My wife, Leanne, had taken an extended break from blogging over the past couple of years for all kinds of reasons. But I think she’s decided to get back to it! She has a lot to share. She is an inspiration to me, and I’m sure she has inspired and will inspire many others. Check out her first post in her return by clicking here. Her first post back is titled “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up.”
Check it out, and let me know what you think. Also, add her blog to your subscription list.
Am I Expecting Great Things?
From time to time, I like to revisit old blog posts. I think they can provide refreshment and renewed perspective on things. Here’s one I wrote over a year ago. Let me know what you think.
This morning, I woke up to make pancakes for our family before we headed off to church at Christ’s Church of the Valley. As I moved closer to finishing up the pancakes, I for some reason decided to grab a CD from my past and let it play as everyone else was waking up and enjoying breakfast. The CD I chose was Speechless by a favorite from my past Steven Curtis Chapman. For some reason, I was moved by track 4 – Great Expectations.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLKrxg1QDng]In this song, Chapman sings about believing the unbelievable and receiving the inconceivable – about having Great Expectations. It hit me that I often don’t expect great things when I go to church or when I have my quiet time. Why? Perhaps, I’m too comfortable with the structure, pattern, and repetition of these “times with God.” Maybe, I’m lazy in my approach to God. Or maybe the wounds of the past have tainted my level of anticipation for God to work.
Whatever the case, I was challenged this morning. I was challenged to approach my time with God (privately and corporately) with a renewed expectation that God has something great in store – for my church, for my family, for my neighbors, for my job, and for me. I believe this in my head, but I want to believe it in my heart and live it out.
Matthew 7:7-11 reminds us that God has so much in store for each of us. This is a reason to be excited about living, about working, and about spending time with God.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Thankful for a new day! Thankful for renewal! Thankful for the promise of great things! Thankful for an incredible, awesome, unbelievable, inconceivable God!
Do you have great expectations?